To Hell and Back
by Jyuoa
Summary: Set after Gone Girl. When Nadia learns about the fate of her mother, she goes on a journey to rescue Katherine from Hell. But it won't be easy, especially with ghostly allies who are constantly arguing and more importantly, Katherine needing to save herself. The first chapter is set where Gone Girl ended. Several familiar ghosts might show up. Disclaimer: I Don't Own TVD!
1. Chapter 1

Bonnie found herself alone in the church after Katherine was dragged off. Still slightly shaken, she turned around and continued to light the candles. Just as she was leaving and standing outside the church, she felt something was off. She turned and saw Nadia. She quickly reminded herself that Nadia was just a ghost now and couldn't hurt her if she wanted to.

"Nadia."

"What happened?" Nadia asked. She didn't seem angry or upset. She was worried.

"You're going to have to elaborate." Bonnie said, not quite knowing what she was talking about.

"My mother. I've been waiting for what seems like a week over here for her to show up." Nadia explained.

"Nadia, I don't know how to say this…" Bonnie said. She took a deep breath. "Katherine didn't make it to the Other Side. At all. When she tried to pass through me, nothing happened."

"But you're the Anchor, all supernatural beings that die are supposed to go through you." Nadia said, looking surprised by this revelation.

"I know, but for some reason, Katherine didn't. Just after we realized she couldn't cross over, there was a wind and she was pulled back with it." Bonnie said. "As though she went to some dark dimension." Nadia looked devastated. "I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do, but I can't."

"I understand." Nadia said. "Doesn't make this any easier, though."

"I really am sorry, Nadia." Bonnie told her sincerely. "Even if I knew where she was, there's no guarantee I could help. I'm just a door to the Other Side."

"Thanks for telling me what happened, though. You're one of the only honest people I've ever known." Nadia said. Then she felt a shift and she was transported back to the Other Side. She felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. "I wish there was a way I could find you, Mother." She whispered.

"Are you okay?" A voice asked her. "You look as though you've lost your best friend." She turned and saw a girl with long, dark hair. It was then that Nadia noticed that she was surrounded by others.

"She didn't lose her friend. She lost her mother." A dark-haired guy said.

"So what? Katherine was a total bitch." Another dark-haired man said.

"Maybe she was a bitch," Nadia said, turning to face the group that had gathered. "But do you have any idea what it's like spending five centuries searching for someone you were yanked away from since birth?" The group fell silent.

Finally, a blonde girl spoke up. "Well, I lost my brother in a fire after I turned."

"I lost my whole family." A girl with short, brunette hair added.

A gentle hand came down on Nadia's shoulder. "I spent a year on the other side, separated from my daughter. We finally found each other after looking in all the wrong places. But I'm sure you can see, you're not alone here."

"Mama's right." The dark haired girl from before said. "And Katherine might have been a bitch, but she also did a few good things, too."

"Thanks." Nadia said. "I just wish I knew where she was, though. Things weren't supposed to be like this."

"Hey, we understand." The girl said. "I'm Anna, by the way."

"Pearl's daughter?" Nadia asked.

"You know of us." Pearl said, as though it were a fact, not a statement.

"Spend five hundred years looking for someone, you get a lot of information on the people she's befriended or been with or even been turned by."

"To be fair, I did not turn her on purpose." The brunette said. The guy next to her put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know that, Rose. Trevor told me she tricked you into giving you her blood." Nadia explained. Rose glanced at him. He just tugged on the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Though I have no excuse for the other things she's done."

"You mean like turning Tyler into a werewolf so she could sacrifice him?" The dark haired guy said.

"Or endangering Jeremy so she could steal the cure?" Another man added. He looked completely unfamiliar to her.

"Or forcing Stefan to become a ripper so he could save Damon?" The blonde girl asked.

"That was Klaus, not Katherine." Anna pointed out.

"She was there and she could've said something."

"Clearly you've forgotten her paralyzing fear of the Original vampires." Nadia said.

"She's got a point there, Lexi." Rose said. "Even I was frightened of them and I don't blame Katerina for being scared."

"Yeah, I guess you guys are right." Lexi said.

"I just wish I knew where she was." Nadia told them. "She was still my mother, you know. I thought we would move on together."

"Maybe there is a way we can find out." Pearl said, feeling bad for her.

"How?" Nadia asked. "I've already spoken to Bonnie. She said that she didn't make it here."

"Bonnie? How does she know about this stuff?" Someone, Nadia couldn't make out who, said.

"Apparently she's the anchor to this world." Nadia said. "She said that instead of passing through, my mother was taken away by a strong wind. As though it shook the entire church."

"Oh, dear." Pearl said, covering her mouth in shock. The others looked equally horrified.

"What? Do you know something?" Nadia asked.

"Nadia, I don't know how else to say this…" A woman emerged from the crowd. She seemed slightly older than the others, but maybe it was just the feeling Nadia got from her.

"Who are you?" Nadia asked her.

"I'm Emily. I've been here for a very long time, and I'm afraid it's not the first time I've seen something like this happen."

"You're Bonnie's ancestor. My mother knew you." Nadia said.

"Yes." Emily said. "And not all spirits cross to the other side. Some find peace, some end up in different dimensions. But I'm afraid that you're mother ended up in a dark world."

"Would she ever make it here?"

"I don't know, Nadia. Because from the way you and my descendant have described it, Katherine isn't trapped on earth or at peace. She's in Hell."


	2. Chapter 2

Chaos. That was the only word Nadia could think of to describe the Other Side at that moment. Everyone there was trying to talk over each other, and not one of them was being heard. Finally, Nadia stepped into the crowd. "Oh, will all of you, SHUT UP?!" Everyone stared at her in shock. "Okay, Emily, right?" Nadia asked, turning to the witch. She nodded. "What do you mean my mother's in Hell?"

"I'm afraid there's no way to explain it." Emily said. "When Katherine appeared to Bonnie, she couldn't pass through her. It's rare when this happens, since most supernatural beings who die first come here before either moving on or being reborn."

"Sorry to interrupt, but can you describe any of the other cases in detail?" One of the unfamiliar ghosts to Nadia asked.

"I personally only know of one, but I've heard stories of others from witches that have passed through here." Emily told him. "The one case was another girl, a young witch. But her powers weren't as strong as she thought. One day, she accidentally caused an earthquake inside her house, trapping herself and everyone else inside. When she died, her spirit got whisked away in the same manner as your mother, Nadia. I do not know what has become of her." She seemed a little sad.

"Emily, how did you know the young witch?" Anna asked.

"She's my niece."

"Oh, you poor thing." Pearl said. "Having to watch that must've been hard."

"I couldn't have stopped it from happening even if I wanted to, Pearl. But sometimes I wonder if she did find peace somehow, despite being dragged off there."

"I'm sure she did eventually." Another woman showed up, joining their little group. She appeared slightly older, but had a slight resemblance to Bonnie.

"Is there any way I can save her?" Nadia asked.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Lexi asked her. "Cause I've heard about bad things that happened to spirits that have tried to get through that dimension." The others started talking again.

"I'm afraid Lexi's right, bad things tend to happen to even the purest spirits." A new voice chimed in. They all turned and saw a dark-haired guy standing there.

"What are you doing here?" One of the guys asked.

"Heard there was a gathering, thought I'd join. Whoa, who's the new girl? She's hot." If Nadia had still been alive, she would've been blushing.

"Okay, back off, Kol. That's Katherine's daughter." Anna said.

"And where is Katherine?"

"My mother's in Hell, but you know that. I saw you eavesdropping." Nadia said. "Still, I'm not sure whether to be angry or flattered about meeting the infamous Kol Mikaelson."

"I'm afraid he has that effect on everyone, Nadia." Rose said.

"Well, considering he went after my step-daughter the last time I saw him, we're definitely not on good terms."

"I didn't see you try to rescue her from getting possessed by Katherine." Trevor said. Rose elbowed him hard.

"Okay, that one was partly on me." Nadia pointed out. "Besides, I doubt he would've been able to stop it."

"Give one good reason why I shouldn't kill you again." Suddenly, Lexi got between them.

"Enough. Ric, I know you're mad at her, but this isn't the time to turn on each other." Lexi pointed out.

"While Lexi has a point, she's also right about that dimension." The group turned to Emily. "I tried to get there before and barely made it back here. My magic wouldn't work there and if I hadn't thought fast, I wouldn't even be here now. The journey you're thinking of taking…it's too risky."

"I don't care." Nadia said. "That's where my mother is and I'm going to get her out of there."

"Hang on, I don't think this is the kind of mission you go solo on." Alaric said

"So you're saying it's impossible?"

"No, I'm saying that you should be smart about this."

"He's right, Nadia. You don't stand a chance of surviving getting there and out without help." Rose pointed out. "I had to pull Emily away myself."

"I know the risks." Nadia said. "But I'm better off going alone."

"You would be wise to listen to them, Nadia." The other woman said. "I know she couldn't get through my granddaughter, but if you're determined to rescue her, you're going to need help."

Nadia still seemed unsure. Anna was looking at her when she stepped forward. "Look, everyone, I know we all hate Katherine as much as the next guy, but I know what it's like to be separated from a parent. I'm going to help her."

"Not alone, you're not." Pearl said, taking her daughter's hand. "I'm not losing you again. If you go there, I go with you." Anna smiled.

"Okay, so you two are in. Any other volunteers?" Nadia asked.

"I'll go." Everyone turned to the brunette girl, surprised.

"Rosie, are you sure?"

"The whole reason you both got separated is because I accidentally turned her." Rose pointed out. "So forgive me, but I feel responsible and want to help."

"You're not going alone, either." Trevor said. "We've always been a team, Rose." She smiled at him. "Besides, it was my fault we even got involved with her."

"Are you sure about this?" Emily asked Nadia. "Even if you managed to free her, there's no guarantee all of you will come back."

"Emily, we all want to help." Anna pointed out.

"And I am grateful for that." Nadia told them.

"Very well." Emily said. "I wish you luck on your journey."

"Wait, how do we get there?" Trevor asked.

"There is a tunnel here on the Other Side that leads to the dimension. It's in one of the caves." Emily told the group. She closed her eyes and whispered something. Then she opened them. "Good luck, all of you." She walked away then.


	3. Chapter 3

Nadia and the others were getting ready to leave. Some of the others came over to them. "Promise me you'll be careful." Lexi told Rose.

"Relax, Trevor and I can handle ourselves." Rose told her.

"I'm just saying, this better work." Anna said.

"I hope so, too, Anna." Nadia told her.

After what seemed like a few seconds, the group left and started walking away from the field they'd gathered in. They found themselves headed toward a forest.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Trevor asked.

"It's the right direction, alright. At least, according to this map Emily gave us." Pearl said.

"Let me see that." Rose said. She examined it with Nadia. "It is the right direction."

"Do you have trust issues or something?"

"Let's just say I don't trust witches often. Most of them betrayed me before." Rose told her.

"You're telling me. My ex tried to kill Katherine." Nadia said. "He was just using me to find her. I don't even remember what I saw in him."

"Guys like that are jerks. And you're looking at someone who reformed from that." Trevor said as the group walked through the forest.

"Yeah, because you fell for a girl who was way out of your league." Anna pointed out.

"How long have you known?" Trevor asked.

"I've been watching a while. Had nothing better to do considering I couldn't find my mother for months." Anna said.

"Okay, can we please stay focused here?" Nadia asked.

"Trust me, we're just as focused on helping you find her. But it wouldn't hurt to do a little bonding before we get there." Rose said. "I mean, who knows if we'll all survive that place?" Everyone looked at each other. They hadn't considered the fact that they could all possibly get trapped or worse once they got there.

"Oh, that's right." Anna said.

"Rose, you have got to stop with the doom-and-gloom talk." Trevor said.

"I'm just being realistic." Rose pointed out.

"Well, she does bring up a point." Nadia said. "It's not like we're exactly close friends here and we might have to rely on each other for help later. How can we do that if we don't trust each other?"

"Trust is the key to working together." Pearl agreed.

"Well, how do we know if we can trust you?" Anna asked Nadia. "How do we know you're not going to leave us in danger when you do rescue your mom?"

"Because I know that ghosts are bound to their word." Nadia pointed out. "And I meant everything I said back there. I won't turn my back on you guys."

"Well, I believe her." Trevor said.

"You do?" Rose seemed surprised.

"Over the years, I've gotten good at telling if people are lying." Trevor said. "One more thing I learned from trusting Katherine. And I will admit, I've been following Nadia ever since she set foot in Mystic Falls."

"You were spying on me?"

"Technically, the Other Side's like an invisible mirror, except we can't interact with the world of the living." Pearl explained.

"Well, that would explain the creepy feeling I got that someone was watching me." Nadia said.

"Well, I will say this, your mother definitely was smart, manipulative, and one of the strongest people I knew." Rose said. "On the run for five hundred years and never looking back twice, that takes a lot of courage."

"Yeah, well, she's also got at deceiving people." Trevor said. "Remember, she tried to trade the doppelganger for her own life. Not that we were any better than her, but still…"

"Yes, I've heard all about the mess with the Originals she got Elena and her friends into." Nadia said. "On the other hand, she also got them out of it. There hasn't been a trace of them in Mystic Falls since last autumn."

"True, but Katherine's the one who caused that mess in the first place." Anna pointed out. "I'm only counting it because they left on good terms with them."

"You know she was just looking out for herself, right?" Nadia said. "I know she's caused a lot of damage over the years. It's not like my life was exactly normal before I turned. But the most painful thing is never getting to know your mother. I was lucky enough just to meet her before we both died."

"I know what you mean. Before Mama and I got separated over here, we kind of got into a fight." Anna said.

"Yes, but I was the one who was wrong about trusting that boy." Pearl said. The others looked to each other, confused.

"I fell for Jeremy Gilbert." Anna explained. "He already knew what I was. He was helping us out. Because of history with his ancestors, Mama believed I was making a huge mistake."

"But I was proven wrong. I was there the night he tried to save my Annabelle from those vampire hunters." Pearl said. "I could tell he had strong feelings for her." Anna held her mother's hand as they continued to walk through the woods.

"Yeah, that must've sucked." Trevor said. "Getting used like that." She noticed how resigned he sounded.

"Hey, I'm sorry about what my mother did to you." Nadia said. "I know you were in love with her."

"It's fine, Dia. Some part of me deep down knew she didn't have feelings for me, even when we were both human." Trevor said. "Besides, if she hadn't, I never would've gotten as close as I had with Rosie here."

"That is one good thing that came from her betrayal." Rose smiled. "To be honest, I really don't blame her for doing what she did, though. If either of us were in her shoes, we would've done the same thing."

"I'm starting to realize why my grandparents gave me to another family." Nadia said. "If I had been there, I would've been killed."

"And then you never would've met your mother." Anna said.

"Seriously, Anna?"

"Couldn't help it. At least I'm trying to lighten the mood, Mr. Doom-and-Gloom." Anna said.

"We're here." Pearl said. The five of them stopped in front of a stone cave.

"Kind of dark in there, isn't it?"

"It's a cave, Trevor. Of course it's dark." Rose said.

"I don't suppose any of you brought flashlights?" Nadia asked.

"We didn't die with any on us." Anna pointed out.

"Right, forgot. You know there's a chance our powers might not work here."

"We have to take the risk anyway." Pearl said.

"Mama's right, there's no turning back." Anna said.

"Okay, let's go." Nadia said.


	4. Chapter 4

The group slowly made their way to the cave entrance. "Well, this could be it for us."

"We're not turning back now, we're too close to the entrance." Rose said.

"Rose is right, but you don't have to do this." Nadia told them. "You can either go back to your group now or come with, but I'm going in either way." For a second no one moved. Then Nadia went into the cave alone.

It was really dark inside. She couldn't see anything. Her hand brushed against the wall of the cave. She made her way through the dark cave by feeling her way around. She could feel a slight breeze coming from a direction, but couldn't tell where from. It was so dark that when she turned around, she could only see the faint glow of the Other Side from the entrance.

She took a step forward, and almost fell. She screamed. Then she felt someone grab her arm. "I've got you!" She heard a voice say. She couldn't see very well, but she grabbed onto the person, whoever it was. She was pulled up.

"Thanks, I think." She said. I can't see anything in here."

"Maybe if we pooled our power together, we could form a light in here so we can see better. Or at the very least, make ourselves visible in this place."

"Okay." Nadia said. She was still sitting on the ground and took someone's hand. Then she concentrated. A moment later, the cave was slightly more visible. Then she turned to see that she was holding Anna's hand. The others had come with her.

"You followed me here."

"We weren't going to let you down." Anna said. Nadia smiled. She hadn't really had friends back when she was alive.

"Thanks, guys. How did you know…"

"We all followed you in. I heard you scream, so I followed your voice in order keep you from falling into that pit." Anna explained, relieved she was okay. If she had fallen in, there would be no way out.

"Are you doing okay?" Rose asked her as she got to her feet.

"Yeah, now we just have to find our way to the entrance."

"According to Emily's directions, there should be a gate halfway through this cave that leads there." Pearl said. "Since it's been around since ancient times, it'll probably look like some kind of ruins."

"You mean kind of like that Roman arch we saw when we were in Italy." Trevor said. Anna and Nadia looked at him, then turned to Rose for an explanation.

"Don't ask."

"Okay, so according to the map, it should be halfway through this tunnel." Anna said.

"Be careful, everyone." Nadia said. "We don't know what will happen when we get there or if we'll even be able to get in."

"Let's just focus on getting there first." Pearl pointed out.

"Okay, let's go. Everyone, remember to stay close and no matter what happens, don't split up." Rose said as they started heading further into the cave. They moved through the cave carefully.

After a few minutes, Trevor suddenly stopped. "What's wrong?" Anna asked.

"Don't you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Then the others heard it. Nadia glanced at the ground saw it shaking.

"You've got to be kidding me!" She said. They all ran as fast as they could to the side of a wall just as set of boulders and rocks tumbled down. Anna did a quick head count and noticed they were all safely on the other side of the rock wall.

"Well, so much for getting back." Rose said.

"In case you've forgotten, we're still vampires." Trevor pointed out. He picked up a stray rock and threw it hard against the wall. It instantly shattered.

"I didn't think earthquakes could even happen on The Other Side." Nadia said.

"They can't." Pearl said. Nadia looked surprised.

"Then how…" She paused, thinking. "It must be this cave. We're getting closer to the entrance."

"That makes sense to me." Anna said. "Very few spirits have been down here and survived to tell anyone about this place."

"It has been rumored to have ancient magic traps." Pearl pointed out.

"We should all be prepared for anything that could happen." Rose said. Everyone nodded and they all walked further inside.

It wasn't long before they stopped. A little further ahead was what looked like a huge arch. "Is that it?" Nadia asked.

"That must be it." Anna said. "It looks almost identical to the map."

"Well, guess we know where we're headed." They all looked at each other.

"Well, if this is it for us, it's been nice knowing all of you." Trevor said.

"Don't think like that. We'll get through this, one way or another." Rose pointed out.

"No matter what happens when we pass through there, I won't let anything happen to any of you guys." Nadia told them. "After all, we're all here because of me."

"Hey, we volunteered, too." Anna pointed out. "If you go in, so do we." Everyone nodded in agreement. Then they all headed toward the arch.


End file.
